


where dwell the brave at heart

by TolkienGirl



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Brotherly Love, Gen, Mourning, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), based on Emily Bronte's "Why Because the Dazzling Sun"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 14:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14875616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TolkienGirl/pseuds/TolkienGirl
Summary: Question for question. Brother for brother.





	where dwell the brave at heart

_Ah! why, because the dazzling sun_

_Restored my earth to joy_

_Have you departed, every one,_

_And left a desert sky?_

_._

When Loki is dead and Thor is hurtling towards Nidavellir which something less a plan and more a death-wish, he remembers every question he never asked aloud.

_Why do you hate me? Why didn’t you trust me?_

And in Norway, when Odin faded gold— _Did you love him? Did you love anyone?_

He can almost hear his brother’s laughter, glancing like a parried blade. _Ah, brother. Didn’t I?_

Question for question. Brother for brother.

He does not know, exactly, if a thousand years, as mortals count them, gave Loki any understanding of what mortals count as _love_.

After all, Loki was Loki.

But he did his best for Thor.

.

_Thought followed thought—star followed star—_

.

Blood, sweat, and tears. With these three, mortals built their cities. With these, they wept and laughed stories into being. Asgard hears their prayers, even the prayers that are meant to fly elsewhere.

 _But can we answer them?_ He asked _this_ , as a boy, skin glowing bright in the glow of the bridge, and Odin shook his head.

_It is not our duty._

Thor was never much one for duty. He sees that now. Sees that quicksilver and mischief, all told, tried much harder to earn the throne neither of them truly understood.

.

_Why did the morning rise to break_

_So great, so pure a spell,_

_And scorch with fire the tranquil cheek_

_Where your cool radiance fell?_

.

He offered a prayer for his father on Sakaar, and Loki joined it. Loki had a mocking voice; it was just the way he sounded. But his eyes, sometimes, looked gravest when he was twisting the worst of lies.

Carrying lies seemed like a heavy burden to Thor, who told the truth at the moment it first occurred to him. Perhaps that was why his brother always had to fall.

He told Loki to stay on Sakaar. Loki had a different idea, but Thor didn’t think of it again until afterwards.

Loki wanted them both to stay.

 _Ah, brother_ , Thor thinks. _You fool._ The strange rabbit captain is pretending not to watch him, kind enough, even, to pretend not to see the tears that dampen Thor’s beard. He does not shake them away; this is how the mortals love.

Blood will come later.

.

_Blood-red he rose, and arrow-straight,_

_His fierce beams struck my brow;_

_The soul of Nature sprang elate,_

_But mine sank sad and low!_

_._

_I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose…_

_I, Loki…Odinson…_

Thor closes his eyes. Before them, he imagines his brother’s form, shimmering at the edges. Not quite there.

Imagines a stone tossed, or a small dagger. Imagines it being swallowed up by Loki’s magic.

 _Not real, not real_.

_Odinson._

_You loved him._ He thinks of Odin, of a sea breeze and all the hollowness of Loki’s rare silences. _You loved Father. I shouldn’t have ever asked._

 _You didn’t._ If he tries _very hard_ , these few moments away Nidavellir and the doom that may or may not await him, he can hear Loki’s mocking voice. Not so mocking now. _Not real._

_I shall avenge you._

_Earth’s mightiest hero, yes? I’m honored._

_Loki…come back._

“Loki, huh?” And Thor stirs, realizing that he has spoken aloud and now the rabbit speaks to him, its wizened little face carefully grim.

“Brother.”

“Ah. I’ll go back to tinkering now.”

“Good, good,” Thor assures him. He does not mean to impose. A moment of reflection is proper for both of them, as they ready themselves to end the world, or save it. He cannot bring his brother to the forefront of his mind again, not even a shade or gleam.

He closes his eyes anyway, and offers the prayer for the glorious dead alone.

.

_O Stars and Dreams and Gentle Night;_

_O Night and Stars return!_

_And hide me from the hostile light_

_That does not warm, but burn—_


End file.
